


If I could find a way

by Andithiel



Series: Drarropoly 2018 [13]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Partners, Drarropoly: A Drarry Game/Fest, Light Angst, M/M, Time Turner (Harry Potter), going back in time to save someone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 18:06:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17370821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andithiel/pseuds/Andithiel
Summary: Harry only has five minutes to save Draco's life





	If I could find a way

**Author's Note:**

> For Drarropoly 2018.  
> Rolled: 6/10  
> Position: Enchanted chest of treasures  
> Prompt: Draco or Harry stumbles upon a rare One-Use Time Turner that can send you back in time five minutes. He uses it to either 1) save the other's life or 2) redo a particularly awkward or misconstrued conversation - writer's choice of word count under 699  
> Word count: 1041  
> Summary: Harry only has five minutes to save Draco's life
> 
> Thanks as always to my amazing beta [Kristinabird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kristinabird/pseuds/Kristinabird) what would I do without you?
> 
> This is also availible [in Russian](https://ficbook.net/readfic/7778840), translated by [Alexy_Roberte888](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexy_Roberte888/pseuds/Alexy_Roberte888)

“Draco, look out!”

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as Draco whipped his head around at Harry’s shout, the jet of green light hurtling towards him. Draco jerked and threw himself to the side, falling onto the ground and rolling landing flat on his back.

“Fuck! Draco!”

“We got one of them, let’s go!” someone shouted and there were four loud cracks as the criminals Disapparated.

Harry scrambled to his feet, desperate to know what had happened. His heart froze as he looked into Draco’s unblinking eyes.

“No. NO! DRACO!” Harry didn’t even recognize his own voice, had no idea he could scream like that.

“Harry. Harry, mate!” Ron was suddenly behind him, grabbing his shoulders and turning him around. “It’s alright !”

“IT’S NOT ALRIGHT!” Harry bellowed. “Draco’s dead and I… I… it’s all my fault!”

Ron paled and stared at Draco’s still body. He swallowed.

“Harry, it’s going to be alright. I know you always blame yourself when something happens on the job, but you were outnumbered two against four, how could this be your fault?”

Harry stilled. Ron was right. They _had_ been outnumbered before Ron and his partner showed up. Harry just needed to even the odds a bit.

“I’ll be right back,” he told Ron and climbed up on one of the boxes that Draco had used as a shield.

“Harry, what’re you-?”

“Not now, Ron, I’ll tell you later,” Harry said as he scanned the area. He didn’t have much time.

The witch or wizard casting the Avada Kedavra must have been positioned behind the pillar supporting the second floor. Harry went to the cluster of mismatched wooden crates a little bit to the right of that, slipped on his invisibility cloak which he always kept stored in his hold-all, and sat down. He dug deeper in the hold-all and felt cold metal against his fingertips, the light buzzing of the time turner guiding him. He knew it was wrong, had known it when he took it from the dingy artefacts shop they raided a month ago, but had figured that a time turner could be useful, even if it could only send him back 5 minutes. Now he was happy he had made that decision.

He turned the little hourglass and everything went a little blurry before he saw two of the neo Death eaters before him, facing to his left. Hexes and curses were flying everywhere. Harry aimed at the one nearest him and cast a silent Stupefy, just as she cast Avada Kedavra. She toppled over, throwing the curse a little off balance and Harry hoped it was enough.

He heard his own screamed warning, and crouched down, covering his ears. He didn’t want to hear himself scream the way he had when he saw Draco lying motionless ever again. But he wasn’t so sure that this was better, because now his mind was assaulted with images of Draco the night before. How he had looked just before he’d kissed Harry. How good Draco’s lips had felt against his. How Harry had thought that he would turn the world upside down to stay in that moment. How Harry had chickened out and told Draco no. How Draco’s face had closed off completely, his eyes steely grey as he turned and left.

Harry knew that was why Draco had answered this call alone, without waiting for Harry to return from his meeting with Robards. He had seen Draco duel multiple opponents before, but this time he had already been surrounded when Harry arrived only five minutes later, and it was all because of Harry. 

Merlin, he was so stupid. Tears started prickling behind his eyelids and he had to bite down on his lip to stop himself from sobbing.

Suddenly the crate behind him wobbled a bit and he realised that his past self was approaching. He quickly slid to the side to avoid past Harry stumbling over present Harry. It felt odd watching himself, seeing the shocked but determined expression on his own face.

Past Harry pulled out the invisibility cloak and vanished. Harry waited a minute before he whipped the cloak off himself, standing up. He was equal parts reluctant and eager to look over at Ron and Draco and see if it had worked, but Ron’s voice made him turn.

“Harry! You have to come look, Malfoy’s all right!”

Harry felt his heart skip a beat.

“He’s alive?” he said, barely more than a whisper, but Ron must have heard it.

“Yeah! The curse missed him save for a few hairs, but the shock must have paralysed him. He came to just after you went over there,” he answered.

Harry didn’t waste another moment, he sprinted over to the other side of the warehouse. Draco was sitting on the dirty floor, his back to the wall, eyes closed.

“Draco!” Harry breathed.

Draco squinted up at him with one eye.

“Potter,” he drawled and Harry wasn’t sure who he wanted to kick the most, himself or  
Draco.

He kneeled before Draco, taking his hands between his own.

“I’m so sorry about yesterday, Draco, I was a complete arse to you.”

“Yes. You were.”

Draco’s eyes were still the steely grey from the day before, but Harry saw the tiniest twinkle there. He knew that the only thing to do now was grovel.

“I was just afraid of my feelings. We work so well as partners, as friends, I… I didn’t want to lose that.”

Draco eyes bore into Harry’s.

“Go on.”

Harry took a deep breath.

“I love you, Draco. I’ve been in love with you for I don’t even know how long. I just didn’t have the courage that you had yesterday.”

Draco’s eyes went wide before he schooled his expression into a smirk.

“Well, I guess hanging around an insufferable Gryffindor all the time was bound to rub off eventually,” he said, examining his nails, but his eyes flickered momentarily to Harry.

Harry snorted.

“I’m glad it did.” He swallowed, daring to lean closer to Draco. “Do you think you could ever forgive me?”

Draco lowered his hand and looked into Harry’s eyes again, his face so open and vulnerable.

“Kiss me and I’ll think about it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are lovely <3
> 
> I'm also [on tumblr](https://andithiel.tumblr.com//)! Come say hi!


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